Usually, the un-ionized form of a drug is absorbed more efficiently than its ionic species. In the case of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs containing the carboxylic acid functional group such as indomethacin, sulindac, naproxen and the like, the carboxylic acid is significantly ionized at physiological pH. The result is that such non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are poorly absorbed through lipid-water membrane barriers and are irritating. Thus, an object of the present invention is to provide a class of derivatives of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs which would not be significantly ionized at physiological pH and which are reasonably stable, but which hydrolyze readily in vivo and yield upon hydrolysis only the parent non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug and non-toxic, readily metabolized by-products.